Stack/Heat-Exchanger Research for Thermoacoustic Heat Engines.

Abstract

The goal of this project is to develop novel configurations of heat pumping elements and heat exchangers for thermoacoustic heat engines. The approach will be to use anisotropic systems employing innovative technology. This approach will allow a heat exchange fluid to flow directly across the heat pumping element of the thermoacoustic heat engine (the 'stack'), eliminating the necessity of separate heat exchangers and possibly improving efficiency. During the past year a radically new design, which is robust (using only stainless steel and epoxy), relatively easy to fabricate, and employs a filament array or 'pin' stack, has been developed. The pin-stack elements are being made commercially, and other parts have been fabricated for testing the system in the 'Space Thermoacoustic Refrigerator' of S. L. Garrett.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 06, 1996
Accession Number
ADA327871

Entities

People

  • Julian D. Maynard

Organizations

  • Pennsylvania State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustics
  • Assembly
  • Efficiency
  • Elastic Properties
  • Engines
  • Filaments
  • Flow
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Flow
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Engines
  • Heat Exchangers
  • Materials
  • Physics
  • Stainless Steel
  • Steel
  • Temperature Gradients

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster